Jail mentality

What is with the judges these days? Seems like even the most minor infraction of the law draws jail time. The jails are horribly overcrowded now as a result of too many people locked up for minor crimes. Why can't judges just give out fines and/or community service to those with minor offences instead of sending them to jail? Jail mentality seems to be the hot thing now. Perhaps if some of the 'jail' judges would go down to the jails and see firsthand the conditions, they might reconsider their sentencing. I am beginning to believe that jail sentences are just a 'power play' from some judges out to gain a reputation for themselves. True, many people do deserve jail time, but a bit of careful consideration would lessen the amount of people incarcerated for minor infractions of the law.

First thing you need to ask is how many times has a person been arrested and gone to court for the same offense 1 time or 10 times. This country's position on crime at this point in time is "Get Tough on crime" that is unless you have money and can buy your way out. The average Joe out there don't have much of a chance with the judicial system.

It depends on what part of the country you are in. I have seen 2nd offense child molestors sentenced to community service by liberal judges. Granted there are certain offenses that may not warrant jail time but in the liberal northeast the opposite is true.

Around here, it is spelled out on the point scale. Depending on how many felony points the criminal has (s)he may get a mild term or a harsher one. There is a range that the judge can use. They cannot go lower than the minimum or higher than the maximum. This was put into effect in our state to avoid completely different sentences in different counties under different judges.

It is common knowlege that 80% of the crimes are committed by repeat offenders. I say throw them in jail. What other deterent is there that means anything. I do not want my house broken into by some repeat offender who just got some slap on the wrist because the conditions in jail are crowded. That is just to bad for them. I think things are to liberal on criminals and not tough enough especially on repeat offenders.

I am more or less reffering to the recent BALLOON hoax about the child that was supposed to be in that homemade rig and was found at home. That was a non-violent crime. I think most non violent crimes do not warrant jail time. Violent crimes like murder, robbery, rape, do certainly deserve jail time and so do DWI. I know it is a fine line of determining who and what is the problem, but a balloon hoax is a bit too far for me to grasp sending someone to an already overcrowded institution.

I am more or less reffering to the recent BALLOON hoax about the child that was supposed to be in that homemade rig and was found at home. That was a non-violent crime. I think most non violent crimes do not warrant jail time. Violent crimes like murder, robbery, rape, do certainly deserve jail time and so do DWI. I know it is a fine line of determining who and what is the problem, but a balloon hoax is a bit too far for me to grasp sending someone to an already overcrowded institution.

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I agree. Minor things shouldn't warrant jail time. It would be better to hand out fines or something. I think violent crimes - murder for example deserve a much more harsh sentence. I'd even say murderers should all be sentenced to a firing squad rather than spending taxpayer money locking them up in jail where they have a roof over their head, a toilet, a bed, and someone that loves them. Get it over with, save our money, and finish them. Straight and to the point. As for robbery, rape, depending on the severity, they should execute people for those too. I'd say DWI deserves serious jail time if you're a repeat offender. How hard is it for drunk drivers to call up a taxi? If they want to get drunk, they should be prepared not to drive afterward. I don't know, maybe I'm just seeing things my way. Anyone else think violent crimes should be punishable by death? I'm talking about when you commit murder, rape or like a serious robbery like bank robbery or something. I think it would make many felons think twice about doing the crimes they've done.

Even good people, especially young adults, can do truly stupid things. I think in most cases, they already receive probation and community service whenever possible. Sadly, many of there folks just continue on with the thought that "Next time, I won't get caught".

Here's my idea: upon conviction of a first felony, the person may choose to serve his regular sentence or submit to reporting to a probation officer until that officer says that person can function unsupervised, pay restitution, and if ever convicted of another felony, serve the maximum consecutive sentences for both crimes without the possibility of parole or time off for good behavior.

Decriminalizing illegal drugs would reduce the number of inmates. Users and dealers would not be in prison, the big money that fuels the drug and gang violence would be gone, and police could actually concentrate on other areas of law enforcement. Those who choose to ruin their lives and kill themselves with these drugs would be free to do so. Huge tax revenues would be available to reduce our national debt.

Another way to reduce prison populations is to make prison so horrible that released convicts will do anything to stay out of prison, even getting jobs and obeying the law. There are many of us on the outside that work 10 or 12 hours a day to pay our bills, feed our families, and pay the taxes that provide color TV and libraries and fitness equipment, good food, a warm place to live, clothing, and health care to these parasites. After work, some of us pay tuition and go the school trying to improve our situation, while convicts often get college educated at our expense. Instead our juvenile justice system teaches our young criminals that the whole system is a joke, and some convicts think of adult prison as a rite of passage, a vacation from the streets, and a finishing school.

We don't like paying the high costs of keeping people in prison, but the costs of repeat offenders is much, much higher. We pay to catch them, try them, convict them, and then pay for unending appeals while they are in prison. Then they are paroled and the cycle begins again. And what about the 'cost' to their victims?

Even good people, especially young adults, can do truly stupid things. I think in most cases, they already receive probation and community service whenever possible. Sadly, many of there folks just continue on with the thought that "Next time, I won't get caught".

Here's my idea: upon conviction of a first felony, the person may choose to serve his regular sentence or submit to reporting to a probation officer until that officer says that person can function unsupervised, pay restitution, and if ever convicted of another felony, serve the maximum consecutive sentences for both crimes without the possibility of parole or time off for good behavior.

Decriminalizing illegal drugs would reduce the number of inmates. Users and dealers would not be in prison, the big money that fuels the drug and gang violence would be gone, and police could actually concentrate on other areas of law enforcement. Those who choose to ruin their lives and kill themselves with these drugs would be free to do so. Huge tax revenues would be available to reduce our national debt.
Another way to reduce prison populations is to make prison so horrible that released convicts will do anything to stay out of prison, even getting jobs and obeying the law. There are many of us on the outside that work 10 or 12 hours a day to pay our bills, feed our families, and pay the taxes that provide color TV and libraries and fitness equipment, good food, a warm place to live, clothing, and health care to these parasites. After work, some of us pay tuition and go the school trying to improve our situation, while convicts often get college educated at our expense. Instead our juvenile justice system teaches our young criminals that the whole system is a joke, and some convicts think of adult prison as a rite of passage, a vacation from the streets, and a finishing school.

We don't like paying the high costs of keeping people in prison, but the costs of repeat offenders is much, much higher. We pay to catch them, try them, convict them, and then pay for unending appeals while they are in prison. Then they are paroled and the cycle begins again. And what about the 'cost' to their victims?QUOTE]